Reviews Posted:
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Beneath by Roland Smith
All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee
The Infinite by Lori M. Lee
An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Dating Down by Stefanie Lyons

To Be Read for March:
The Dickens Mirror by Ilsa J. Bick
The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

Monday, March 30, 2015

High school junior Trisha Myles thought her sister loved her, but her sister's suicide note revealed that she'd wished Trisha had never existed. In the aftermath, Trisha abandons her old life to become a social ghost. Not existing is sort of peaceful... until a vicious bully targets her.She’s saved by Jesse Reagan--the one guy in Hoghfield, Alabama who outranks her as an outcast. Trisha’s desire to live blossoms, but spending time with Jesse is more than she bargained for. After she freaks over the slashes on his arms, he explains he’s cursed--a curse that can only be controlled by blood magic. Trisha thinks he’s insane--especially when he tells her someone has cursed her, too. But when freak accidents almost crush Jesse with a truck and destroy her attempts to reclaim her old life, Trisha knows it’s not just a delusion.A ritual can free them from their curses, but only if they can shed their guilt and anger. However, if Trisha and Jesse can’t let go, the curse will bleed Jesse dry, and Trisha will lose the person who brought her back to life.

Brandi Lynch lives in rural Arkansas with her fiancé. When she’s not reading or conjuring stories of her own, she enjoys delving into the rich world of an RPG or chatting on Twitter. Oh, and there’s work in between.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Savannah. Courtney. Peyton.
The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks
like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—
a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel
suite.
Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each,
it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is
nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

All-access doesn't mean no problems.
The three Diamond sisters survived the summer in style after coming to live with their long-lost
billionaire father. But making a place for themselves at their exclusive new Las Vegas private
school is throwing them any number of gold-plated curves. Savannah's YouTube stardom turns
into a Sweet Sixteen reality show extravaganza—with complimentary enemies on the side.
Dangerous flirtations don't keep Peyton from a gamble that will risk far more than she planned
to bet. And when Courtney and the sisters' archenemy, Madison, uncover two explosive secrets,
it will rock even this town of glittering illusion—and turn their lives upside down all over again.
Sisterhood, first crushes, and scandalous secrets explode in book two of Michelle Madow's
riveting series, The Secret Diamond Sisters.

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas ... but that doesn’t matter when you live there.”Excerpt:SAVANNAH DIAMOND

Damien leaned lazily against the door frame. “So you’re the infamous Diamond sisters?”
“Infamous?” Savannah asked. “I’m one of the Diamond sisters, but I didn’t know we were
infamous.”
“I’m kidding.” He laughed. “There’s just been some talk about you three, and everyone’s been
curious to meet you.”
“Oh, okay.” Savannah knew Adrian Diamond was well known, but she hadn’t realized that
meant people would talk about her and her sisters, too. “Who’s everyone?”
“Just some of us who go to the Goodman School,” he said. “A few of us live here and in nearby
condos. Your dad made a donation for the school’s new sports center, and the talk is you’ll be
attending in the fall.”
Savannah had hoped her mom would get better before the end of summer so she wouldn’t have
to start her sophomore year with total strangers. She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out how
to reply in a way that wouldn’t make her sound clueless. “We haven’t talked with our dad about
school yet.”
Well, they hadn’t talked to their dad at all yet, but Damien didn’t have to know that. And
Savannah hadn’t realized that donations—or any payments—were necessary to go to school. At
Fairfield High, new kids just signed up on their first day.
“Too bad,” Damien said. “You’ll have to let me know when you find out. But you’ll be at the
Fourth of July party at Myst tonight, right?”
“Yes.” Savannah breathed a sigh of relief at the mention of something she knew a little bit about.
That was the place Adrian had mentioned in his note. “Have you been there before?”
“Been there before...” He repeated her question, lingering on every syllable. “Of course I’ve
been there before. It’s the hottest new club on the Strip. And it’s the best, just like everything
else at the Diamond.”

Author Bio:
Michelle Madow was inspired to write The Secret Diamond Sisters series while walking through
her favorite hotel in Las Vegas. The next book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, launches
in October. Prior to The Secret Diamond Sisters, she successfully self-published The Transcend
Time Saga. A tireless promoter of her work, Michelle is active on social media networks and
has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace
reading and writing. A graduate of Rollins College, Michelle lives in Florida ... but she loves
going to Vegas.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GIVEAWAY.THE PRIZE. The Secret Diamond Sisters swag pack that includes: The Secret Diamond Sisters lip balm, The Secret Diamond Sisters pin, postcards for each of the Diamond sisters, a signed bookmark, and a The Secret Diamond Sisters sticker.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

I saw this book at a local bookstore on the used shelf for only $8. ONLY EIGHT DOLLARS.

Gifted:

I have been wanting to read this book FOR THE LONGEST TIME and after commenting on a Stacking the Shelves post, Emily from Follow the Yellow Brick Road said that she'd send it to me! I couldn't be happier, thanks so much Emily! I'm hoping to read this very soon. :D

Friday, March 27, 2015

Today I have an awesome book to share with you guys as part of the Orenda Book Blitz!Book Info:Orenda by Ruth Silver (Orenda #1) Published by: Booktrope PublishingPublication date: December 5th 2014Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Join forces with a parallel universe.Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew
collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda.
Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger,
Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds.
Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can’t exist, but a small
clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. With the
threat of her sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost
her even more than she bargained for.A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come
together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will
keep readers of all ages turning the pages.

4. Write reviews for other books. Understand what you like and don’t as a writer.

5. Build a website or better yet a book blog

6. Create a Street Team. Recruit your fans

7. Attend author events

8. Don’t listen to every bit of advice you receive. Write for you. Otherwise you’ll make no one happy.

9. Keep a notebook handy near my bedside. As I’m tired and start to fall asleep, sometimes I get worthwhile ideas for where to take the next chapter. By morning I’ll forget it if I hadn’t written it down.

10. People will inevitably forget to tell you that they saw you dedicated the book to them.

Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps
of fan fiction in her free time. She has written under three unique
pseudo names and penned well over a hundred stories.She attended
Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in
Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing
with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are
Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative
Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than
the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to
finish her stories.Her love of writing, led her on an adventure
in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA novels and
sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book
blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.

When a good girl falls for a bad boy
She thought she loved him. She thought she could change him. She thought if she just believed in him enough, his cheating and his drugs and his lying would stop, and she'd be his and he'd be hers and they'd love each other forever.
But for Samantha Henderson, X-the boy she will not name-is trouble. He's older, edgier, bohemian... and when he starts paying attention to Sam, she can't resist him. Samantha's family and friends try to warn her, but she still stays with him, risking her future and everything that really matters.

In Dating Down, we follow Sam, who lives with her father, stepmom, and stepsister. Her mother died of sickness a while ago, so she feels like her father tried to replace her automatically by marrying Jane who already had a kid named Melanie. Her father is running for senator this year so he's trying to constantly make sure that the family upholds its reputation.

One day, Sam meets X at a coffee shop that he works at. They fall for each other and start doing everything together, even though Sam's two best friends, Gavin and April, begin to not really approve of him. The thing is, X does drugs though he always denies that he does. He's also always with other girls though he claims that it's just nothing. Is it really nothing though?

This book was darker than I thought it would be, especially with all the drugs. I felt so bad for Sam, because she deserved so much more than X was giving her. Their relationship was toxic at times and I think it was filled with many lies. Luckily, she had her friends to help her through. I loved the friendship between Sam, Gavin, and April, though April was a bit boy crazy over her on-again off-again boyfriend Ralph. Nonetheless, she was always there for Sam.

Sam's home life wasn't the best, because she felt that her father was hiding from his past and just trying to forget about it because he met Jane. He just focused so much on his career when he should've focused a bit more on his home life and maybe spent a bit more time with Sam. It was a bit sad at times, really.

Stefanie Lyons's writing style was so lyrical and beautiful. Sometimes I even went back and reread sections because of how great it was. It was just so smooth and melodic. This was also my first book that was written poetically, and I enjoyed it so much. This was definitely a very interesting read and I'd suggest picking it up if you're looking for a quick, darker contemporary.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend ofthe Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite studentsmurdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or sothe story goes.Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact thathe'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysteriousinvitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens. He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead,he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles aboutthe school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.

Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite thingsin life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way. She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.

Music Recommendations was created so that I can share some of my favorite artists and bands with all of you!

This week I thought I'd recommend Santigold!

Santigold's real name is Santi White, and she sings electronic/indie rock/reggae music that is super fun to listen. Yet again, I chose this artist to feature because of how catchy her music is! I just love music that gets stuck in my head for days to come. It's usually either a sign that I loved it or I hated it, though in this case, I definitely love her music.

My favorite Santigold song would have to be Disparate Youth, because in the music video she goes and travels to all these exotic places and I just love watching it. I'm a huge fan of beautiful landscapes in the great outdoors, and many are shown in this music video.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

What if everything you knew about yourself was changed in an instant?
When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.
But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned--something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts".
Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

She doesn’t just play, she kills it.Talented
rock guitarist Beth Collins has been barely holding herself together
for months, ever since her boyfriend and bandmate became the latest
victim in a string of suspicious disappearances. When her brother is
injured an accident and she sees something dark billowing around him as
he hovers close to death, she’s convinced her sanity is collapsing for
good. Then
she's accepted by a boarding school for the musically gifted. All of
her new friends are bursting with talent, but they're also keeping
secrets. Can she trust Vincent, who's so sweet that his very touch makes
her fears melt away? Or Xavier, who's trying to tell her something but
is hiding even more?And will anyone be safe when her true Talent comes out?

Lisa Amowitz was
born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where
she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied
ant hills. And drew. A lot.Lisa
has been a professor of graphic design at Bronx Community College
where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly eighteen
years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something
to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably
because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.BREAKING GLASS which was released July 9, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press,
is her first published work. VISION, the first book in the Finder
Series, released September 9, 2014 and its unnamed sequel will release
winter, 2016. UNTIL BETH, a YA urban fantasy, will release September
2015.So stay tuned because Lisa is very hyper and has to create stuff to stay alive.Lisa is represented by Shannon Hassan of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

Monday, March 23, 2015

Brand-new adventures set in the world of Rot & Ruin!
Written by New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bran Stoker award-winner, Jonathan Maberry, this all-new storyline continues events from the award-winning series of novels. We meet Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong as they travel through the Sierra Nevada mountains just one faltering step ahead of zombie hordes and one giant leap behind the plane flying through the sky that set them on their journey of discovery.

**Thank you to IDW Publishing for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!**

Rot & Ruin follows Benny, Nix, Chong, and Lilah who live in a world ravaged by zombies. They've grown up in this world, as they were all just babies when the disease broke out. Nobody knows how the disease came to be, they just know that it's here now and they have to deal with it. There's millions of zombies but only about thirty thousand humans left in the world. It's definitely not a world I'd want to live in!

The four characters were taught how to be samurais by Tom because that's the only way to survive in a world like this. Sadly, Tom died. While walking and travelling around, the crew is saved by a pregnant woman who introduces them all to Farmer John, who seems to be running a very safe and successful town where many people live. The strange thing is that there is tons of children. Sometimes, everything is not as it seems.

I have yet to read the Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry, though I have heard great things about it. After checking out this graphic novel, I'm definitely going to pick up the books. This world is crazy and ravaged by zombies and there's tons of crazy people who think they can save everyone. It's all to be expected with a zombie apocalypse. One thing that I really liked about this story was that right in the beginning, we learn about Benny's past. I like how it was given all at once, instead of in pieces. I also like how the four main characters were babies when the apocalypse started, so they didn't have to adapt. They're much different characters because of that.

The artwork in this book was great. I could spend a long time flipping through and just looking at them. That's one of my favorite things about graphic novels-it allows the reader to see the characters and the world just as the author sees it. I think this would be perfect for fans of The Walking Dead, so I'd definitely suggest giving this a read if you have the chance. It was such a quick, enjoyable read. I can't wait for more installments!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath's sister has mostly grown away from the fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath that she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

I've heard so many great things about Rainbow Rowell's books, and I had read and absolutely adored Eleanor & Park. I was a bit wary because I'd heard that if you liked one you wouldn't really like the author, but that was not the case for me. I loved both!

Fangirl is about a girl named Cath, who is obsessed with Simon Snow. Simon Snow is kind of like Harry Potter, which is pretty awesome. Cath spends a lot of her time writing fan fiction, and she used to love writing it with her twin sister, Wren, though she grew out of it since they're going to be freshmen at college. Cath is not willing to give up Simon Snow because he's become a part of her and has helped her get through some really tough times. She's also a pretty popular fanfic author which is incredibly awesome.

When Cath gets to college, she meets her roommate Raegan. This guy named Levi is always hanging around her, so she assumes that they're dating. It later turns out that they're not. On top of this, Cath gets into a junior-level writing class which she is really happy with. She ends up working with this guy named Nick. They're library buddies and they spend a lot of time writing with one another. For the longest time, I thought that they were going to end up together. After getting to know Nick better, I'm really glad that they didn't. He annoyed the crap out of me.

On the other hand, Levi is so sweet. He's always there for Cath. At one point, he's going home to visit family but finds that Cath has a family emergency so he turns his car around and comes all the way back to visit Cath and make sure that she is okay. Levi drove so long just to go and comfort her. He's so nice to Cath and they make the most adorable couple. I also love how he enjoyed it when Cath read to him. He didn't enjoy reading himself because he said he could never exactly understand what he was reading unless others read to him, so he'd sit quietly and actually listen while Cath read to him. Their relationship was seriously just the best thing ever. They're totally my new favorite YA couple.

I'm so excited that Cath's Simon Snow fanfic is going to be published and I can't wait to read that. Carry On will be so good! I'm super glad that I picked this up and I'd highly recommend it if you haven't read it already. Seriously, what are you waiting for?

Notable Quotes:

"In new situations, all the trickiest rules are the ones nobody bothers to explain to you. (And the ones you can't Google.)"

"You give away nice like it doesn't cost you anything."

"I choose you over everyone."

"Real life was something happening in her peripheral vision."

"I don't trust anybody. Not anybody. And the more that I care about someone, the more sure I am they're going to get tired of me and take off."

"Sometimes writing is running downhill, your fingers jerking behind you on the keyboard the way your legs do when they can't quite keep up with gravity."

"How do you not like the Internet? That's like saying, 'I don't like things that are convenient. And easy. I don't like having access to all of mankind's recorded discoveries at my fingertips. I don't like light. And knowledge."

"To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one."